Who said sarcasm is the "lowest form of wit"?

Question

I've heard variously that it was Chaucer, Oscar Wilde, etcetera, but I've never been able to attribute it to anyone in particular. Is it just an idiom that's been passed on, without a definite beginning? Or is there a known author for this quote?

Answer 1

I thoiught it was Oscar Wilde

Answer 2

Oscar Wilde...

Although there is no definitive proof (i.e. ít's not in his writings) but neither is there any proof that anyone else said it first.

So while it is possible that someone else did say it first and then Wilde merely repeated it, the chances of him having said it are very high (but being sarcastic of course when he did say it) and the chances of him having been the first one to have said it, good... but no certainties!

P.S. This isn't an idion (an idiom is an expression that means something other than its literal meaning), just a saying

Answer 3

I don't know but they must have been witless!!